Israel Performs First Full Artificial Heart Transplant

Israel has performed its first full artificial heart transplant at Hadassah University Medical Center in Jerusalem, marking a historic medical milestone. The seven-hour surgery involved removing the patient's failing heart and replacing it with a sophisticated artificial heart made of titanium, biological animal tissues, and advanced sensors, conducted by a multidisciplinary team. This procedure offers hope to patients with end-stage biventricular failure, a severe form of heart failure where both ventricles fail, who previously had limited treatment options due to the shortage of donor hearts. The artificial heart, known as the Aeson heart, aims not only to sustain patients temporarily until a donor heart becomes available but potentially to serve as a long-term alternative to transplantation. While left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) helped patients with left-side heart failure, those with both sides failing had fewer options; this new technology addresses that gap. The cost of the device was covered by the patient's health fund, reflecting growing institutional support for advanced cardiac therapies in Israel.